Commentary
What is the zone of immunity? Iran, Israel and the IAEA's new report
The IAEA's latest report shows that Iran has greatly upgraded its uranium enrichment capacity.
 What Would an Air Attack on Iran Look Like?
A ground invasion is impossible.
 Are We Able to Deter Iran?
In pursuing a nuclear weapons capability, Iran is acting rationally and in accordance with its past actions and strategic interests.
 The Audience War: The Challenges of Iran's Nuclear Rhetoric
Ever since its inception in 1979, the Iranian regime has deployed opaque yet highly charged rhetoric against enemies and to garner support at home and abroad.
 The Audience War: US Rhetoric and the Iranian Nuclear Programme
Obama's declaratory policy on Iran involves a fine balancing act that is designed for multiple audiences: a recalcitrant Iranian regime, a domestic population about to go to the polls, and a jittery Middle Eastern region led by Israel.
 Is a Nuclear Iran as Dangerous As We Think?
Pessimists warn that a nuclear Iran cannot be safely contained.
 Has Iran Provided the Justification for War?
Iran is accused of attempting to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the United States on American soil.
 Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: A Steady Crawl to Breakout Capability
The International Atomic Energy Agency's latest report on Iran describes in unprecedented detail a country moving slowly towards a nuclear weapons option, rather than a bomb itself.
 Devaluing the Dual-Track Approach to Iran
With the ransacking of the British embassy in Tehran, the West has further shrunk its repository of policy options, leaving sanctions as the policy tool of choice.
 Iran and the West: Playing a Zero-Sum Game
The killing of a nuclear scientist in Tehran may well be the latest in a line of skirmishes between Iran and its American-led adversaries.
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Contacts
Professor Malcolm Chalmers
Research Director / Director, UK Defence Policy Studies
tel:+44(0)20 7747 4970
malcolm.chalmers@rus
i.org
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Attacking Iran: Up in the air

RUSI Analysis, 27 Feb 2012 By Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Research Director / Director, UK Defence Policy Studies

RUSI's Malcolm Chalmers talks to The Economist newspaper on the risks involved in a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear programme



Further Analysis: Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Strategy, Global Security Issues, Iran, Middle East and North Africa

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